Kickstart Program

Why This Program Now

Gaza is at a critical stage that requires moving beyond emergency humanitarian relief toward rebuilding livelihoods and restoring economic activity. While humanitarian aid remains essential, empowering individuals to build their own businesses and sustainable income sources is a foundational step toward long-term economic and social recovery. Supporting entrepreneurial ideas at this stage helps to:

Rebuild income sources for affected families.

Revitalize the local economy.

Create new job opportunities.

Strengthen initiative and self-reliance.

Build successful economic models that inspire hope.

Generate meaningful impact that benefits Gaza and its people.

Through Kickstart, promising ideas can become real ventures that contribute to building a more resilient and sustainable economy.

Program Overview

The program aims to support at least 15 innovative projects, with the possibility of increasing the number depending on the quality of applications. Each selected project will receive up to $5,000 in seed support, distributed in carefully planned phases to ensure effective implementation and measurable progress.

A formal agreement will be signed between the organization and each selected entrepreneur to protect both parties’ rights, strengthen commitment, and support successful long-term implementation.

Funding includes

Funding will be provided in-kind and operationally rather than as direct cash, through:

Purchasing equipment and tools.
Providing raw materials.
Developing software or digital infrastructure.
Covering rent or essential operating costs.
Purchasing websites, digital platforms, and online services.
Supporting technical solution development.

Who Can Apply

The program is open to individuals inside Gaza who have innovative ideas that can be transformed into projects or services.
Applicants should demonstrate:

A clear and promising idea.
Commitment and motivation.
The ability to generate economic or social impact.

The capacity to operate under Gaza’s current conditions.
A project that positively benefits the land, people, and local community.

Application Requirements

Applicants must be between 18 and 50 years old.

Must currently reside in Gaza.

Only one project idea per applicant.

The idea must be feasible and implementable.

A clear plan for the use of support funds must be provided.

Commitment to implementation is required.

Expected economic and social impact must be explained.

Applications may be submitted individually or as a small team.

Only one submission per person or team is allowed.

The project must be capable of operating under current field conditions.

The project must provide real benefit to the local community and the people of Gaza.

Selection Process

Projects will be evaluated based on:

Feasibility
Clarity of idea
Innovation
Economic and social impact
Sustainability
Ability to continue under current field realities

A shortlist of 40 finalists will be selected and invited to present their ideas in a Pitch Session, after which at least 15 projects will be chosen for implementation support.

Advisory Support & Incubation

Because successful ideas require more than funding alone, the program will provide an integrated ecosystem of incubation and continuous advisory support, including:

Specialized Advisory Team: Weekly sessions and workshops via Instagram Live with entrepreneurship experts and consultants to discuss ideas, challenges, and practical solutions.

One-on-One Consultations: Applicants may consult directly with the organization to review and strengthen their ideas.

Dedicated Mentor for Each Winning Project: Each selected project will be assigned a professional mentor to support setup, operations, and growth.

Periodic Field Visits: A field visit every six months to monitor implementation, assess progress, and identify obstacles.

Governance, Monitoring & Accountability

To ensure quality implementation and measurable impact, each winning project must commit to:

Submitting quarterly progress reports
Accepting field visits, reviews, and evaluations
Following the agreed implementation plan and timeline
Cooperating in providing data to measure economic and social impact

After Selection

Implementation of selected projects will begin immediately. Each project will receive up to $5,000 in phased support, tied directly to implementation milestones, project progress, and achievement of agreed objectives.

Judging Committee & Ongoing Support

Projects will be evaluated by a specialized judging committee composed of leading experts, academics, business leaders, and specialists from both inside and outside Gaza, ensuring diversity of expertise and objective assessment. In addition, a dedicated support team will work alongside selected entrepreneurs, offering continuous mentorship, guidance, and strategic support throughout their journey.

Community Contribution & Sustainability

As part of the program’s long-term sustainability vision, after one full year of operations and once profits are achieved, an agreed percentage ranging between 10% and 15% of net profits will be allocated by each supported project. This contribution will help support:

The Peace Dove’s community initiatives.
New entrepreneurial projects.
Emerging entrepreneurs in Gaza.
Sustainable community economic development.

Final Vision

Kickstart is not merely a funding initiative. It is a comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem designed to revive Gaza’s local economy through funding, incubation, mentorship, governance, and sustainability. Because rebuilding Gaza begins with an idea… and succeeds through determination and perseverance.

Empowering Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Gaza